We are hosting family for a big meal this week and want to avoid the oven obviously! Have a grill but I feel like I can already see the wavy air all around our backyard. Hit me with your best hot weather food spreads. Ice cream and popsicles even seem misguided if they’ll melt too fast. |
Crockpot BBQ sandwiches and pasta salad. |
cold tenderloin served with sliced baguettes, corn salad, caprese with good tomatoes, and blanched green beans. Dessert: watermelon granita with tuiles. |
For pasta or potato salad cook the starch either the night before or early morning before it gets hot. Sliced fruit. Green salad. |
Cold sesame/peanut noodles |
Starting with dessert, I would do bowls of strawberries, grapes, watermelon, and either a frozen lemonade pie or a Watergate salad sort of thing. Make ahead and chilling in the fridge/freezer, and almost no baking required.
For the main meal I would do either coleslaw or macaroni salad and tomatoes, basil and mozzarella salad (marinate in some olive oil and balasamic vinegar). It isn’t really tomato season yet, but the cherry tomatoes at the super market will be OK. Or you could do a corn and tomato salad using frozen corn. If you don’t want to grill at all, then I would do pork BBQ or sausage, onions, and peppers in the crock pot. NYT cooking had a recipe for the latter on the website recently. |
We make these often.
https://inthekitchenwithkath.com/2018/06/05/instant-pot-bbq-st-louis-style-ribs/ |
Get Popeyes chicken and make all the fresh fruit and veg sides above. |
Second the popeyes with a fruit tray |
Agreed with the crockpot idea. I like carnitas tacos and multiple side salads/veggies/beans. BBQ sandwiches and typical sides is another option. |
I’m the cold tenderloin person and I agree that Popeyes is a great idea. |
Gazpacho, coleslaw and tacos. Browning meat is quick. |
6 foot subs, fruit trays, salad and these lemon bars cooked the night before: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/lemon-bars-recipe/ |
Gazpacho, baguettes with cheese, nuts, olives and fruits |
Agree that bunch of cold subs on a hot day is a great idea. I also think Moby Dick catering would work. They have salads, grilled steak and chicken skewers, pita and hummus, grilled veggies- it doesn’t feel too too heavy |